WO2011051820A2

WO2011051820A2 - Methods of increasing yields of pleuromutilins

Info

Publication number: WO2011051820A2
Application number: PCT/IB2010/003289
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew Mark Bailey; Catherine Collins; Amanda Crawford; Gary Foster; Alison Michelle Griffin; Sreedhar Kilaru; Angela Scrogham; David Spence
Original assignee: Glaxo Group Limited; The University Of Bristol
Priority date: 2009-10-30
Filing date: 2010-10-28
Publication date: 2011-05-05
Also published as: EP2494028A2; WO2011051820A3; US20130017608A1; EP2494028A4

Abstract

This invention relates to a novel Pleuromutilin gene cluster and methods of increasing yields of Pleuromutilin produced by Clitopilus and related basidiomycete species.

Description

METHOD OF INCREASING YIELDS OF PLEUROMUTILINS

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to a novel Pleuromutilin gene cluster and methods of increasing yields of Pleuromutilin produced by Clitopilus and related basidiomycete species.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Pleuromutilin is a natural product produced by certain basidiomycete fungi including species of Clitopilus. The compound is an antibiotic and its derivatives are of interest for medicinal applications due to the level of resistance to current antimicrobial agents. Pleuromutilin was first described in the early 1950s (Kavanagh, Hervey and Robbins, 1951, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 37 570-574) where it was isolated from Pleurotus mutilis and P. passeckerianus. These species were later reclassified as Clitopilus species and recent studies have further resolved the range of pleuromutilin producing organisms (Hartley, AJ, De Mattos-Shipley, K, Collins, CM, Kilaru, S, Foster, GD and Bailey, AM. 2009. Investigating pleuromutilin-producing Clitopilus species and related basidiomycetes. FEMS Microbiology Letters 297 ^', 24-30).

[0003] The compound is a tricyclic diterpene (C22H34O5), with a 5-, 6- and 8- carbon ring. This combination is extremely unusual within the known range of terpenoid structures.

[0004] While Pleuromutilin can be produced by conventional fermentation methods, final titers are not particularly high. Therefore, there is a need in the art to increase yields.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses a ggpps gene, wherein the fungus cell produces a Pleuromutilin or is modified to produce a Pleuromutilin.

[0006] Further, the method of the invention may be applied to increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm.

[0007] In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses a ggpps gene, wherein the fungus cell produces a Pleuromutilin or is modified to produce a Pleuromutilin, wherein the expression vector comprises a nucleotide sequence that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 8 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 8.

[0008] In other embodiments, the invention provides for a method for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses a ggpps gene, wherein the fungus cell produces a Pleuromutilin or is modified to produce a Pleuromutilin, wherein the expression vector comprises a ggpps gene having a polynucleotide sequence which encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7.

[0009] In another embodiment, the invention provides for a method for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses a ggpps gene, wherein the fungus cell produces a Pleuromutilin or is modified to produce a Pleuromutilin, wherein the expression vector comprises a polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8.

[0010] yet another embodiment, the invention provides for a method for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses a ggpps gene, wherein the fungus cell produces a Pleuromutilin or is modified to produce a Pleuromutilin, wherein the ggpps gene consists of the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8. [0011] In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method of increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, wherein the expression vector comprises a nucleotide sequence that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 8 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 8.

[0012] In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method of increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, wherein the expression vector comprises a nucleotide sequence that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 2 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 2.

[0013] In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method of increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, wherein the expression vector comprises a nucleotide sequence that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 4 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 4.

[0014] In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method of increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, wherein the expression vector comprises a nucleotide sequence that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 6 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 6.

[0015] In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method of increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, wherein the expression vector comprises a nucleotide sequence that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 10 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 10.

[0016] In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method of increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, wherein the expression vector comprises a nucleotide sequence that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 12 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 12.

[0017] In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method of increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, wherein the expression vector comprises a nucleotide sequence that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 14 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 14.

[0018] In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method of increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, wherein the expression vector comprises a nucleotide sequence that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 16 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 16.

[0019] In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method of increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, wherein the expression vector comprises a nucleotide sequence that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 18 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 18.

[0020] In one embodiment, the invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses a ggpps gene, wherein the fungus cell produces a Pleuromutilin or is modified to produce a Pleuromutilin, further comprising culturing the transformed fungus cell in a medium suitable for the expression of ggpps to thereby produce Pleuromutilin, wherein overexpression of the ggpps gene is accomplished by increasing the copy number of said ggpps gene or operatively linking said ggpps gene to a promoter and further comprising isolating the Pleuromutilin.

[0021] In one embodiment, the invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, further comprising culturing the transformed fungus cell in a medium suitable for the expression of ggpps to thereby produce Pleuromutilin, wherein overexpression of the ggpps gene is

accomplished by increasing the copy number of said ggpps gene or operatively linking said ggpps gene to a promoter and further comprising isolating the Pleuromutilin.

[0022] In yet another embodiment, the invention provides for methods for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses a ggpps gene, wherein the fungus cell produces a Pleuromutilin or is modified to produce a Pleuromutilin, wherein the ggpps gene is isolated from C. passeckerianus.

[0023] In one embodiment, the invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, wherein the p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm genes are isolated from C.

passeckerianus. [0024] In one embodiment, the invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses a ggpps gene, wherein the fungus cell produces a Pleuromutilin or is modified to produce a Pleuromutilin, further comprising culturing the transformed fungus cell in a medium suitable for the expression of ggpps to thereby produce Pleuromutilin, wherein overexpression of the ggpps gene is accomplished by increasing the copy number of said ggpps gene or operatively linking said ggpps gene to a promoter and further comprising isolating the Pleuromutilin, wherein the ggpps gene is isolated from C. passeckerianus.

[0025] In one embodiment, the invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, further comprising culturing the transformed fungus cell in a medium suitable for the expression of ggpps to thereby produce Pleuromutilin, wherein overexpression of the ggpps gene is

accomplished by increasing the copy number of said ggpps gene or operatively linking said ggpps gene to a promoter and further comprising isolating the Pleuromutilin, wherein the p450-3, atf eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm genes are isolated from C. passeckerianus.

[0026] In one embodiment, the invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses a ggpps gene, wherein the fungus cell produces a Pleuromutilin or is modified to produce a Pleuromutilin, wherein the fungus is selected from the group consisting of a basidiomycete, Clitopilus sp., Clitopilus passeckerianus, Clitopilus hobsonii, Clitopilus pinsitus, Clitopilus prunulus, Clitopilus scyphoides, Clitopilus abortivus, Lepista sordida, Rhodocybe popinalis, Rhodocybe hirneola, Rhodocybe truncata, Omphalina mutila, and Psathyrella conopilus.

[0027] Further, the method of the invention may be applied to increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, wherein the fungus is selected from the group consisting of a basidiomycete, Clitopilus sp., Clitopilus passeckerianus, Clitopilus hobsonii, Clitopilus pinsitus, Clitopilus prunulus, Clitopilus scyphoides, Clitopilus abortivus, Lepista sordida, Rhodocybe popinalis, Rhodocybe hirneola, Rhodocybe truncata, Omphalina mutila, and Psathyrella conopilus.

[0028] In one embodiment, the invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses a ggpps gene, wherein the fungus cell produces a Pleuromutilin or is modified to produce a Pleuromutilin, further comprising culturing the transformed fungus cell in a medium suitable for the expression of ggpps to thereby produce Pleuromutilin, wherein overexpression of the ggpps gene is accomplished by increasing the copy number of said ggpps gene or operatively linking said ggpps gene to a promoter and further comprising isolating the Pleuromutilin, wherein the fungus is selected from the group consisting of a basidiomycete, Clitopilus sp., Clitopilus passeckerianus, Clitopilus hobsonii, Clitopilus pinsitus, Clitopilus prunulus, Clitopilus scyphoides, Clitopilus abortivus, Lepista sordida, Rhodocybe popinalis, Rhodocybe hirneola, Rhodocybe truncata, Omphalina mutila, and Psathyrella conopilus.

[0029] In one embodiment, the invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450-l, p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm, further comprising culturing the transformed fungus cell in a medium suitable for the expression of ggpps to thereby produce Pleuromutilin, wherein overexpression of the ggpps gene is

accomplished by increasing the copy number of said ggpps gene or operatively linking said ggpps gene to a promoter and further comprising isolating the Pleuromutilin, wherein the fungus is selected from the group consisting of a basidiomycete, Clitopilus sp., Clitopilus passeckerianus, Clitopilus hobsonii, Clitopilus pinsitus, Clitopilus prunulus, Clitopilus scyphoides, Clitopilus abortivus, Lepista sordida, Rhodocybe popinalis, Rhodocybe hirneola, Rhodocybe truncata, Omphalina mutila, and Psathyrella conopilus. [0030] In yet another embodiment, the invention relates to an isolated polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:

(i) an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid having at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:7 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:7;

(ii) an isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7;

(iii) an isolated polypeptide which consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7; and

(iv) a polypeptide that is encoded by a recombinant polynucleotide comprising the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8.

[0031] In another embodiment, the invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

i) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide that has at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7, over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 7;

(ii) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence that has at least 95% identity over its entire length to a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 7;

(iii) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence that has at least 95% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 8 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 8;

(iv) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 7;

(v) an isolated polynucleotide which consists of the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 8;

(vi) an isolated polynucleotide of at least 30 nucleotides in length obtainable by screening an appropriate library under stringent hybridization conditions with a probe having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8 or a fragment thereof of at least 30 nucleotides in length; and (vii) a polynucleotide sequence complementary to said isolated polynucleotide of (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) or (vi).

[0032] This invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0033] It is to be understood that both the foregoing summary description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

[0034] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further

understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in, and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1 a schematic showing the order and orientation of the gene cluster identified as being responsible for pleuromutilin biosynthesis.

[0036] Figure 2 showing the ggpps overexpression vectors p004GGSgene and the intron-containing p004iGGSgene.

[0037] Figure 3 graphically illustrates a plasmid pYES-hph-pleurocluster.

pYES2 is marked with a dotted line and Pleuromutilin genes are shown in arrows.

[0038] Figure 4 graphically illustrates Pleuromutilin titres ^g/g of mycelia) of C. passeckerianus wild-type, ggpps sense transformant- 16 and antisense transformant- 16.

[0039] Figures 5A and 5B graphically illustrate a Northern analysis of cultures obtained from p004-GGSgene transformant- 16 (lane 1), C. passeckerianus wild type (lane 2). (A) Total RNA stained with methylene blue showing equal amounts of RNA loaded for both strains and (B) blot was hybridized with a ggpps probe showing much more abundant ggpps transcript in the overexpressing strain. [0040] Figures 6A-6D illustrate Pleuromutilin activities of C. passeckerianus transformants as shown by bioassay on Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) medium. (A) Control transformant pPHTl (top) and (C) pYES-hph-pleurocluster transformants (bottom) were cultivated for 5 days on TSA at 25 °C. Bacillus subtilis culture was added as overlay and cultivated for 24 hours at 30°C, showing (B) normal wild-type clearing zones in the control transformant and (D) the increased size of clearing zone indicative of increase pleuromutilin synthesis in selected transformants with the plasmid pYES-hph- pleuro cluster.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0041] The present invention provides, among other things, methods for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin produced by a Pleuromutilin-producing basidiomycete comprising the step of overexpressing ggpps gene, wherein the

Pleuromutilin is re resented by any of the following compounds:

[0042] Formula I: pleuromutilin,

[0043] Formula II: mutilin

[0044] Formula III: mutilin 14-acetate

[0045] The term "Pleuromutilin" is used in the broadest sense and specifically includes, but is not limited to, one or more tricyclic diterpenes selected from the compounds of formulas I, II, and III. Thus, "a Pleuromutilin" refers to a species of chemical compound within the genus or class of chemical compounds "Pleuromutilin", while "pleuromutilin" (lower case "p") is the particular Pleuromutilin species described by formula I.

[0046] The term "Pleuromutilin-producing basidiomycete" refers to a basidiomycete that produces a Pleuromutilin, including Clitopilus sp., Clitopilus passeckerianus, Clitopilus hobsonii, Clitopilus pinsitus, Clitopilus prunulus, Clitopilus scyphoides, Clitopilus abortivus, Lepista sordida, Rhodocybe popinalis, Rhodocybe hirneola, Rhodocybe truncata, Omphalina mutila, and Psathyrella conopilus.

[0047] In another aspect, the present invention relates to increasing the yield of Pleuromutilin produced by Clitopilus comprising the step of overexpressing ggpps gene.

[0048] In a further aspect, the present invention teaches that other genes may play a role in the increase of the yield of the Pleuromutilin. For example, the present invention relates to a method for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin produced by a Pleuromutilin-producing basidiomycete comprising the step of overexpressing a ggpps gene and at least one other gene selected from the group consisting of p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450-1 , p450-2, sdr, zbdh and fbm.

[0049] In one embodiment, the instant invention teaches a novel cluster of genes involved in Pleuromutilin production by the fungus Clitopilus, specifically C.

passeckerianus. This invention is not to be limited in scope by the genus Clitopilus. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. For example, similar gene clusters or specific gene and protein sequences may be found in Clitopilus and closely related basidiomycetes including, but not limited to, Clitopilus hobsonii, Clitopilus pinsitus, Clitopilus prunulus, Clitopilus scyphoides, Clitopilus abortivus, Lepista sordida, Rhodocybe popinalis, Rhodocybe hirneola, Rhodocybe truncata, Omphalina mutila, and Psathyrella conopilus.

Definitions:

[0050] The term "ggpps" as used herein refers to geranyl geranyl diphosphate synthase gene within the cluster, SEQ ID NO: 7 and 8,

[0051] The term "/?450-3" as used herein refers to the third cytochrome P450- dependent oxygenase-like gene in the cluster. SEQ ID NO: 1 and 2.

[0052] The term "atf as used herein refers to the acetyl transferase-like gene in the cluster. SEQ ID NO: 3 and 4.

[0053] The term "eye" as used herein refers to the diterpene cyclase-like gene in the cluster. SEQ ID NO: 5 and 6.

[0054] The term "p450-l" as used herein refers to the first cytochrome P450- dependent oxygenase-like gene in the cluster. SEQ ID NO: 9 and 10.

[0055] The term "p450-2" as used herein refers to the second cytochrome P450- dependent oxygenase-like gene in the cluster. SEQ ID NO: 1 1 and 12.

[0056] The term "sdr" as used herein refers to the dehydrogenase/reductase-like gene in the cluster. SEQ ID NO: 13 and 14.

[0057] The term "zbdh" as used herein refers to zinc-binding dehydrogenase-like gene within the cluster. SEQ ID NO: 15 and 16.

[0058] The term "fl>m" as used herein refers to the flavin-binding mono oxygenase-like gene in the cluster. SEQ ID NO: 17 and 18.

[0059] The term "gene cluster" or "cluster" refers to the co-located group of genes responsible for encoding the enzymes required for Pleuromutilin biosynthesis.

[0060] The phrase "culturing the transformed fungus cell in a medium suitable for the expression of as used herein refers to growing, replicating, multiplying the transformed fungus cell in or on a liquid, gel, or solid mixture - the "medium" - to form a colony of fungi derived or originating from the original transformed fungus cell such that the colony of transformed fungi expresses a desired gene product. Any medium suitable for expression will include all necessary nutrients, including a source of carbon, nitrogen and vitamins. Examples of a carbon source include glucose (dextrose), fructose, mannose, sucrose (table sugar) and other monodisaccharides, disaccharides, and sometimes other saccharide building blocks such as glyceraldehydes, glycerol, and the like. Nitrogen sources include peptone, yeast extract, malt extract, amino acids, and ammonium and nitrate compounds. Specific examples of nitrogen sources include Casamino Acids and Bacto-Peptone, (Difco). Salts, including Fe, Zn and Mn, are often added to media, as well as vitamins, including thiamin and biotin. Examples of common fungus media suitable for expression include Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) medium, Water Agar (WA); Antibiotic Agar (AA; Acidified Cornmeal Agar (ACMA; Cornmeal Agar (CMA; Potato Carrot Agar (PCA); Malt Agar (MA); Malt Extract Agar (MEA); Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA); Potato Dextrose-Yeast Extract Agar (PDYA). Other media, whether all natural, semi-synthetic (i.e., natural ingredients as well as some defined ingredients such as vitamins, malt agar, salts present in precise amounts) or completely defined ( all ingredients are specifically measured and defined in precise amounts) are also appropriate for culturing a transformed fungus cell for expression and/or

overexpression.

[0061] The phrase "expression vector" as used herein refers to a vector, generally a DNA molecule such as a plasmid, yeast, bacteriophage or other virus or animal virus genome, cosmid, or artificial chromosome, used to introduce foreign genetic material into a host or target cell in order to isolate, replicate, amplify, express and/or overexpress the foreign DNA sequence as a recombinant molecule in the target cell. Expression vectors, also known as expression constructs, are usually constructed for expression and/or overexpression of a transgene in the target cell, and generally have a promoter sequence that drives expression of the transgene. Simpler vectors, sometimes called transcription vectors, are typically only transcribed but not translated, which means they can be replicated in a target cell but do not express a recombinant molecule, such as a recombinant protein, in the target cell, unlike traditional expression vectors. Transcription vectors are typically used to amplify the insert.

[0062] The term "basidiomycete" as used herein refers to any fungus of the basidiomycete (or basidiomycota) phylum.

[0063] The term "Clitopilus sp" as used herein refers to Clitopilus or a related Basidiomycete fungus that naturally produces pleuromutilin

[0064] The polypeptides of the present invention should preferably have at least 20% of the activity of the polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence shown as anyone of SEQ ID NOs: 1 , 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 , 13, 15, and 17. In one embodiment, the polypeptides should have at least 40%, such as at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 100% of the activity of the polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence shown as anyone of SEQ ID NOs: 1 , 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, and 17.

[0065] The term "identity" in the present invention relates to the homology between two amino acid sequences or between two nucleotide sequences is described by the parameter "identity". In one embodiment, the degree of identity between two amino acid sequences is determined by using the program FASTA included in version 2. Ox of the FASTA program package (see W. R. Pearson and D. J. Lipman, 1988, "Improved Tools for Biological Sequence Analysis", Proc Natl Acad Sci 85: 2444-2448; and W. R. Pearson, 1990 "Rapid and Sensitive Sequence Comparison with FASTP and FASTA", Methods in Enzymology 183: 63-98).

[0066] The degree of identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the same algorithm and software package as described above.

[0067] In another embodiment, a transformed fungus cell (or microorganism) is designed or engineered such that at least one gene in the Pleuromutilin gene cluster is overexpressed. In a further embodiment the ggpps gene is overexpressed. The term "overexpressed" or "overexpression" includes expression of a gene product at a level greater than that expressed prior to manipulation of the microorganism or in a comparable microorganism which has not been manipulated. In one embodiment, the microorganism can be genetically designed or engineered to overexpress a level of gene product greater than that expressed in a comparable microorganism which has not been engineered.

[0068] Genetic engineering can include, but is not limited to, altering or modifying regulatory sequences or sites associated with expression of a particular gene (e.g., by adding strong promoters, inducible promoters or multiple promoters or by removing regulatory sequences such that expression is constitutive), modifying the chromosomal location of a particular gene, altering nucleic acid sequences adjacent to a particular gene such as a ribosome binding site, increasing the copy number of a particular gene, modifying proteins (e.g., regulatory proteins, suppressors, enhancers, transcriptional activators and the like) involved in transcription of a particular gene and/or translation of a particular gene product, or any other conventional means of deregulating expression of a particular gene routine in the art (including but not limited to use of antisense nucleic acid molecules, for example, to block expression of repressor proteins). Genetic engineering can also include deletion of a gene, for example, to block a pathway or to remove a repressor.

[0069] In another embodiment, the microorganism can be physically or environmentally manipulated to overexpress a level of gene product greater than that expressed prior to manipulation of the microorganism or in a comparable microorganism which has not been manipulated. For example, a microorganism can be treated with or cultured in the presence of an agent known or suspected to increase transcription of a particular gene and/or translation of a particular gene product such that transcription and/or translation are enhanced or increased. Alternatively, a microorganism can be cultured at a temperature selected to increase transcription of a particular gene and/or translation of a particular gene product such that transcription and/or translation are enhanced or increased.

Polypeptides

[0070] The following description is for one gene in the Pleuromutilin gene cluster iggpps). It is understood by the skilled artisan that said description can be modified to explain the other eight genes in the cluster. [0071] The ggpps polypeptide of the invention is substantially phylogenetically related to other proteins of the geranyl geranyl diphosphate synthase family.

[0072] In one aspect of the invention there are provided polypeptides of

Clitopilus passeckerianus referred to herein as "ggpps" and "ggpps polypeptides" as well as biologically, diagnostically, prophylactically, clinically or therapeutically useful variants thereof, and compositions comprising the same.

[0073] Among the particular embodiments of the invention are variants of ggpps polypeptide encoded by naturally occurring alleles of a ggpps gene.

[0074] The present invention further provides for an isolated polypeptide that: (a) comprises or consists of an amino acid sequence that has at least 95% identity, in another embodiment, at least 97-99% or exact identity, to that of SEQ ID NO: 7 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 7; (b) a polypeptide encoded by an isolated polynucleotide comprising or consisting of a polynucleotide sequence that has at least 95% identity, in another embodiment, at least 97-99% or exact identity to SEQ ID NO: 8 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 8; (c) a polypeptide encoded by an isolated polynucleotide comprising or consisting of a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide that has at least 95% identity, in another embodiment at least 97-99% or exact identity, to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7, over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 7.

[0075] The polypeptides of the invention include a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 7 (in particular a mature polypeptide) as well as polypeptides and fragments, particularly those that has a biological activity of ggpps, and also those that have at least 95% identity to a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 7 and also include portions of such polypeptides with such portion of the polypeptide generally comprising at least 30 amino acids and in another embodiment at least 50 amino acids.

[0076] The invention also includes a polypeptide consisting of or comprising a polypeptide of the formula:

X-(R₁)_m-(R₂)-(R₃)„-Y

wherein, at the amino terminus, X is hydrogen, a metal or any other moiety described herein for modified polypeptides, and at the carboxyl terminus, Y is hydrogen, a metal or any other moiety described herein for modified polypeptides, Ri and R₃ are any amino acid residue or modified amino acid residue, m is an integer between 1 and 1000 or zero, n is an integer between 1 and 1000 or zero, and R₂ is an amino acid sequence of the invention, particularly an amino acid sequence selected from Table 1 or modified forms thereof. In the formula above, R₂ is oriented so that its amino terminal amino acid residue is at the left, covalently bound to Ri, and its carboxy terminal amino acid residue is at the right, covalently bound to R₃. Any stretch of amino acid residues denoted by either Ri or R₃, where m and/or n is greater than 1 , may be either a heteropolymer or a homopolymer. Other embodiments of the invention are provided where m is an integer between 1 and 50, 100 or 500, and n is an integer between 1 and 50, 100, or 500.

[0077] In one embodiment of the invention, a polypeptide is derived from

Clitopilus passeckerianus, however, it may be obtained from other organisms of the same genus. A polypeptide of the invention may also be obtained, for example, from organisms of the same family or order.

[0078] A fragment is a variant polypeptide having an amino acid sequence that is entirely the same as part but not all of any amino acid sequence of any polypeptide of the invention. As with ggpps polypeptides, fragments may be "free-standing," or comprised within a larger polypeptide of which they form a part or region, in one embodiment as a single continuous region in a single larger polypeptide.

[0079] In another embodiment, fragments include, for example, truncation polypeptides having a portion of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:7, or of variants thereof, such as a continuous series of residues that includes an amino- and/or carboxyl- terminal amino acid sequence. Degradation forms of the polypeptides of the invention produced by or in a host cell, particularly a Clitopilus passeckerianus, are also embodiments of the invention. Further embodiments are fragments characterized by structural or functional attributes such as fragments that comprise alpha-helix and alpha- helix forming regions, beta-sheet and beta-sheet-forming regions, turn and turn-forming regions, coil and coil-forming regions, hydrophilic regions, hydrophobic regions, alpha amphipathic regions, beta amphipathic regions, flexible regions, surface-forming regions, substrate binding region, and high antigenic index regions. [0080] In a further embodiment, fragments include an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 100 contiguous amino acids from the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7, or an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 100 contiguous amino acids truncated or deleted from the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7.

[0081] Fragments of the polypeptides of the invention may be employed for producing the corresponding full-length polypeptide by peptide synthesis; therefore, these variants may be employed as intermediates for producing the full-length polypeptides of the invention.

Polynucleotides

[0082] It is an embodiment of the invention to provide polynucleotides that encode ggpps polypeptides, particularly polynucleotides that encode a polypeptide herein designated ggpps.

[0083] In an embodiment of the invention, a polynucleotide comprises a region encoding ggpps polypeptides comprising a sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 8 that includes a full length gene, or a variant thereof.

[0084] As a further aspect of the invention there are provided isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding and/or expressing ggpps polypeptides and polynucleotides, particularly Clitopilus passeckerianus ggpps polypeptides and polynucleotides, including, for example, unprocessed RNAs, ribozyme RNAs, mRNAs, cDNAs, genomic DNAs, B- and Z-DNAs. Further embodiments of the invention include biologically, diagnostically, prophylactically, clinically or therapeutically useful polynucleotides and polypeptides, and variants thereof, and compositions comprising the same.

[0085] Another aspect of the invention relates to isolated polynucleotides, including at least one full length gene that encodes a ggpps polypeptide having a deduced amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7 and polynucleotides closely related thereto and variants thereof. [0086] In another embodiment of the invention there is a ggpps polypeptide from Clitopilus passeckerianus comprising or consisting of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7, or a variant thereof.

[0087] Using the information provided herein, such as a polynucleotide sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 8, a polynucleotide of the invention encoding ggpps polypeptide may be obtained using standard cloning and screening methods, such as those for cloning and sequencing chromosomal DNA fragments from fungi using Clitopilus

passeckerianus cells as starting material, followed by obtaining a full length clone. For example, to obtain a polynucleotide sequence of the invention, such as a polynucleotide sequence given in SEQ ID NO: 8, typically a library of clones of chromosomal DNA of Clitopilus passeckerianus or some other suitable host is probed with a labeled oligonucleotide, in one embodiment 17-mer or longer, derived from a partial sequence. Clones carrying DNA identical to that of the probe can then be distinguished using stringent hybridization conditions. By sequencing the individual clones thus identified by hybridization with sequencing primers designed from the original polypeptide or polynucleotide sequence it is then possible to extend the polynucleotide sequence in both directions to determine a full length gene sequence. Conveniently, such sequencing is performed, for example, using denatured double stranded DNA prepared from a plasmid clone. Suitable techniques are described by Maniatis, T., Fritsch, E.F. and Sambrook et al, MOLECULAR CLONING, A LABORATORY MANUAL, 2nd Ed.; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, New York (1989). (see in particular Screening By Hybridization 1.90 and Sequencing Denatured Double- Stranded DNA Templates 13.70). Direct genomic DNA sequencing may also be performed to obtain a full length gene sequence.

[0088] Moreover, each DNA sequence disclosed herein contains an open reading frame encoding a protein with a deduced molecular weight that can be calculated using amino acid residue molecular weight values well known to those skilled in the art. The polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 8, encodes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 7.

[0089] In a further aspect, the present invention provides for an isolated polynucleotide comprising or consisting of: (a) a polynucleotide sequence that has at least 95% identity, in another embodiment, at least 97-99% or exact identity to SEQ ID NO: 8 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 8, or the entire length of that portion of SEQ ID NO: 8 which encodes SEQ ID NO: 7; (b) a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide that has at least 95% identity, in another embodiment, at least 97-99% or 100%) exact, to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7, over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 7.

[0090] A polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of the present invention, including homologs and orthologs from species other than Clitopilus passeckerianus, may be obtained by a process that comprises the steps of screening an appropriate library under stringent hybridization conditions with a labeled or detectable probe consisting of or comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8 or a fragment thereof; and isolating a full- length gene and/or genomic clones comprising said polynucleotide sequence.

[0091] The invention provides a polynucleotide sequence identical over its entire length to a coding sequence (open reading frame) in SEQ ID NO: 8. Also provided by the invention is a coding sequence for a mature polypeptide or a fragment thereof, by itself as well as a coding sequence for a mature polypeptide or a fragment in reading frame with another coding sequence, such as a sequence encoding a leader or secretory sequence, a pre-, or pro- or prepro-protein sequence. The polynucleotide of the invention may also comprise at least one non-coding sequence, including for example, but not limited to at least one non-coding 5' and 3' sequence, such as the transcribed but non-translated sequences, termination signals, ribosome binding sites, Kozak sequences, sequences that stabilize mRNA, introns, and polyadenylation signals. The polynucleotide sequence may also comprise additional coding sequence encoding additional amino acids. For example, a marker sequence that facilitates purification of a fused polypeptide can be encoded. In certain embodiments of the invention, the marker sequence is a hexa-histidine peptide, as provided in the pQE vector (Qiagen, Inc.) and described in Gentz et ah, Proc. Natl. Acad. Set, USA 86: 821-824 (1989), or an HA peptide tag (Wilson et al, Cell 37: 767 (1984), both of that may be useful in purifying polypeptide sequence fused to them.

Polynucleotides of the invention also include, but are not limited to, polynucleotides comprising a structural gene and its naturally associated sequences that control gene expression.

[0092] The invention also includes a polynucleotide consisting of or comprising a polynucleotide of the formula:

X-(R₁)_m-(R₂)-(R₃)„-Y

wherein, at the 5' end of the molecule, X is hydrogen, a metal or a modified nucleotide residue, or together with Y defines a covalent bond, and at the 3' end of the molecule, Y is hydrogen, a metal, or a modified nucleotide residue, or together with X defines the covalent bond, each occurrence of Ri and R₃ is independently any nucleic acid residue or modified nucleic acid residue, m is an integer between 1 and 3000 or zero, n is an integer between 1 and 3000 or zero, and R₂ is a nucleic acid sequence or modified nucleic acid sequence of the invention, particularly a nucleic acid sequence selected from Table 1 or a modified nucleic acid sequence thereof. In the polynucleotide formula above, R₂ is oriented so that its 5' end nucleic acid residue is at the left, bound to Ri, and its 3' end nucleic acid residue is at the right, bound to R₃. Any stretch of nucleic acid residues denoted by either Ri and/or R₂, where m and/or n is greater than 1, may be either a heteropolymer or a homopolymer. Where, in an embodiment, X and Y together define a covalent bond, the polynucleotide of the above formula is a closed, circular

polynucleotide, that can be a double-stranded polynucleotide wherein the formula shows a first strand to which the second strand is complementary. In another embodiment m and/or n is an integer between 1 and 1000. Other embodiments of the invention are provided where m is an integer between 1 and 50, 100 or 500, and n is an integer between 1 and 50, 100, or 500.

[0093] In another embodiment a polynucleotide of the invention is derived from Clitopilus passeckerianus, however, it may be obtained from other organisms of the same genus. A polynucleotide of the invention may also be obtained, for example, from organisms of the same family or order.

[0094] The term "polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide" as used herein encompasses polynucleotides that include a sequence encoding a polypeptide of the invention, particularly a fungus polypeptide and more particularly a polypeptide of the Clitopilus passeckerianus ggpps having an amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 7. The term also encompasses polynucleotides that include a single continuous region or discontinuous regions encoding the polypeptide (for example, polynucleotides interrupted by integrated phage, an integrated insertion sequence, an integrated vector sequence, an integrated transposon sequence, or due to RNA editing or genomic DNA reorganization) together with additional regions, that also may comprise coding and/or non-coding sequences.

[0095] The invention further relates to variants of the polynucleotides described herein that encode variants of a polypeptide having a deduced amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7. Fragments of polynucleotides of the invention may be used, for example, to synthesize full-length polynucleotides of the invention.

[0096] Further embodiments are polynucleotides encoding ggpps variants that have the amino acid sequence of ggpps polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 7 in which several, a few, 5 to 10, 1 to 5, 1 to 3, 2, 1 or no amino acid residues are substituted, modified, deleted and/or added, in any combination. In one embodiment, these are silent substitutions, additions and deletions that do not alter the properties and activities of ggpps polypeptide.

[0097] Another embodiment of the invention is that isolated polynucleotide embodiments also include polynucleotide fragments, such as a polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence having at least 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 100 contiguous nucleic acids from the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8, or an polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence having at least 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 100 contiguous nucleic acids truncated or deleted from the 5' and/or 3' end of the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8.

[0098] Further embodiments of the invention are polynucleotides that are at least 95% or 97% identical over their entire length to a polynucleotide encoding ggpps polypeptide having an amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 7, and

polynucleotides that are complementary to such polynucleotides. In another

embodiment, the polynucleotides comprise a region that is at least 95%. Furthermore, those with at least 97% are another embodiment among those with at least 95%, and among those with at least 98% and at least 99% are other embodiments of the invention, with at least 99% being a further embodiment.

[0099] Embodiments of the invention also include polynucleotides encoding polypeptides that retain substantially the same biological function or activity as a mature polypeptide encoded by a DNA of SEQ ID NO: 8.

[00100] In accordance with certain embodiments of this invention there are provided polynucleotides that hybridize, particularly under stringent conditions, to ggpps polynucleotide sequences.

[00101] The invention further relates to polynucleotides that hybridize to the polynucleotide sequences provided herein. In this regard, the invention especially relates to polynucleotides that hybridize under stringent conditions to the polynucleotides described herein. A specific example of stringent hybridization conditions is overnight incubation at 42°C in a solution comprising: 50% formamide, 5x SSC (150mM NaCl, 15mM trisodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH7.6), 5x Denhardt's solution, 10% dextran sulfate, and 20 micrograms/ml of denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA, followed by washing the hybridization support in O.lx SSC at about 65°C. Hybridization and wash conditions are well known and exemplified in Sambrook, et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., (1989), particularly Chapter 11 therein. Solution hybridization may also be used with the polynucleotide sequences provided by the invention.

[00102] The invention also provides a polynucleotide consisting of or comprising a polynucleotide sequence obtained by screening an appropriate library comprising a complete gene for a polynucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 8 under stringent hybridization conditions with a probe having the sequence of said polynucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 8 or a fragment thereof; and isolating said polynucleotide sequence. Fragments useful for obtaining such a polynucleotide include, for example, probes and primers fully described elsewhere herein.

[00103] As discussed elsewhere herein regarding polynucleotide assays of the invention, for instance, the polynucleotides of the invention, may be used as a hybridization probe for RNA, cDNA and genomic DNA to isolate full-length cDNAs and genomic clones encoding ggpps and to isolate cDNA and genomic clones of other genes that have a high identity, particularly high sequence identity, to a ggpps gene. Such probes generally will comprise at least 15 nucleotide residues or base pairs. In one embodiment, such probes will have at least 30 nucleotide residues or base pairs and may have at least 50 nucleotide residues or base pairs. In one embodiment, probes will have at least 20 nucleotide residues or base pairs and will have less than 30 nucleotide residues or base pairs.

[00104] A coding region of a ggpps gene may be isolated by screening using a DNA sequence provided in SEQ ID NO: 8 to synthesize an oligonucleotide probe. A labeled oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary to that of a gene of the invention is then used to screen a library of cDNA, genomic DNA or mRNA to determine which members of the library the probe hybridizes to.

[00105] There are several methods available and well known to those skilled in the art to obtain full-length DNAs, or extend short DNAs, for example those based on the method of Rapid Amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) (see, for example, Frohman, et al, PNAS USA 85: 8998-9002, 1988). Recent modifications of the technique, exemplified by the Marathon™ technology (Clontech Laboratories Inc.) for example, have significantly simplified the search for longer cDNAs. In the Marathon™ technology, cDNAs have been prepared from mRNA extracted from a chosen tissue and an 'adaptor' sequence ligated onto each end. Nucleic acid amplification (PCR) is then carried out to amplify the "missing" 5' end of the DNA using a combination of gene specific and adaptor specific oligonucleotide primers. The PCR reaction is then repeated using "nested" primers, that is, primers designed to anneal within the amplified product (typically an adaptor specific primer that anneals further 3' in the adaptor sequence and a gene specific primer that anneals further 5' in the selected gene sequence). The products of this reaction can then be analyzed by DNA sequencing and a full-length DNA constructed either by joining the product directly to the existing DNA to give a complete sequence, or carrying out a separate full-length PCR using the new sequence information for the design of the 5' primer. [00106] The polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention may be employed, for example, as research reagents and materials for discovery of treatments of and diagnostics for diseases, particularly human diseases, as further discussed herein relating to polynucleotide assays.

[00107] The polynucleotides of the invention that are oligonucleotides derived from a sequence of SEQ ID NOS: 7 or 8 may be used in the processes herein as described, but also for PCR, to determine whether or not the polynucleotides identified herein in whole or in part are transcribed in Pleuromutilin producing fungi. It is recognized that such sequences will also have utility in diagnosis of the stage of infection and type of infection the pathogen has attained.

[00108] The invention also provides polynucleotides that encode a polypeptide that is a mature protein plus additional amino or carboxyl-terminal amino acids, or amino acids interior to a mature polypeptide (when a mature form has more than one polypeptide chain, for instance). Such sequences may play a role in processing of a protein from precursor to a mature form, may allow protein transport, may lengthen or shorten protein half-life or may facilitate manipulation of a protein for assay or production, among other things. As generally is the case in vivo, the additional amino acids may be processed away from a mature protein by cellular enzymes.

[00109] For each and every polynucleotide of the invention there is provided a polynucleotide complementary to it. In one embodiment, these

complementary polynucleotides are fully complementary to each polynucleotide with which they are complementary.

[00110] A precursor protein, having a mature form of the polypeptide fused to one or more prosequences may be an inactive form of the polypeptide. When prosequences are removed such inactive precursors generally are activated. Some or all of the prosequences may be removed before activation. Generally, such precursors are called proproteins.

[00111] As will be recognized, the entire polypeptide encoded by an open reading frame is often not required for activity. Accordingly, it has become routine in molecular biology to map the boundaries of the primary structure required for activity with N-terminal and C-terminal deletion experiments. These experiments utilize exonuclease digestion or convenient restriction sites to cleave coding nucleic acid sequence. For example, Promega (Madison, WI) sell an Erase-a-base™ system that uses Exonuclease III designed to facilitate analysis of the deletion products (protocol available at promega.com). The digested endpoints can be repaired (e.g., by ligation to synthetic linkers) to the extent necessary to preserve an open reading frame. In this way, the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 8 readily provides contiguous fragments of SEQ ID NO: 7 sufficient to provide an activity, such as an enzymatic, binding or antibody- inducing activity. Nucleic acid sequences encoding such fragments of SEQ ID NO: 7 and variants thereof as described herein are within the invention, as are polypeptides so encoded.

[00112] As is known in the art, portions of the N-terminal and/or C- terminal sequence of a protein can generally be removed without serious consequence to the function of the protein. The amount of sequence that can be removed is often quite substantial. The nucleic acid cutting and deletion methods used for creating such deletion variants are now quite routine. Accordingly, any contiguous fragment of SEQ ID NO: 7 which retains at least 20%, or at least 50%, of an activity of the polypeptide encoded by the gene for SEQ ID NO: 7 is within the invention, as are corresponding fragment which are 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%,97%, 98% or 99% identical to such contiguous fragments. In one embodiment, the contiguous fragment comprises at least 70% of the amino acid residues of SEQ ID NO: 7, or at least 80%, 90% or 95% of the residues.

[00113] In sum, a polynucleotide of the invention may encode a mature protein, a mature protein plus a leader sequence (that may be referred to as a preprotein), a precursor of a mature protein having one or more prosequences that are not the leader sequences of a preprotein, or a preproprotein, that is a precursor to a proprotein, having a leader sequence and one or more prosequences, that generally are removed during processing steps that produce active and mature forms of the polypeptide.

Vectors, Host Cells, Expression Systems

[00114] The invention also relates to vectors that comprise a

polynucleotide or polynucleotides of the invention, host cells that are genetically engineered with vectors of the invention and the production of polypeptides of the invention by recombinant techniques. Cell-free translation systems can also be employed to produce such proteins using RNAs derived from the DNA constructs of the invention.

[00115] Recombinant polypeptides of the present invention may be prepared by processes well known in those skilled in the art from genetically engineered host cells comprising expression systems. Accordingly, in a further aspect, the present invention relates to expression systems that comprise a polynucleotide or polynucleotides of the present invention, to host cells that are genetically engineered with such expression systems, and to the production of polypeptides of the invention by recombinant techniques.

[00116] For recombinant production of the polypeptides of the invention, host cells can be genetically engineered to incorporate expression systems or portions thereof or polynucleotides of the invention. Introduction of a polynucleotide into the host cell can be effected by methods described in many standard laboratory manuals, such as Davis, et al, BASIC METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, (1986) and Sambrook, et al, MOLECULAR CLONING: A LABORATORY MANUAL, 2nd Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), such as, calcium phosphate transfection, DEAE-dextran mediated transfection, transvection, microinjection, cationic lipid-mediated transfection, electroporation, transduction, scrape loading, ballistic introduction, Lithium chloride transformation, Agrobacterium-mediated T-DNA transfer, PEG/CaCl transformation of protoplasts and infection.

[00117] Representative examples of appropriate hosts include bacterial cells, such as cells of streptococci, staphylococci, enterococci, E. coli, streptomyces, cyanobacteria, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus; fungal cells, such as cells of a yeast, Kluveromyces , Saccharomyces , a basidiomycete, Clitopilus sp., Clitopilus passeckerianus, Clitopilus hobsonii, Clitopilus pinsitus, Clitopilus prunulus, Clitopilus scyphoides, Clitopilus abortivus, Lepista sordida, Rhodocybe popinalis, Rhodocybe hirneola, Rhodocybe truncata, Omphalina mutila, and Psathyrella conopilus, Candida albicans and Aspergillus; insect cells such as cells of Drosophila S2 and Spodoptera Sf9; animal cells such as CHO, COS, HeLa, C127, 3T3, BHK, 293, CV-1 and Bowes melanoma cells; and plant cells, such as cells of a gymnosperm or angiosperm.

[00118] A great variety of expression systems can be used to produce the polypeptides of the invention. Such vectors include, among others, chromosomal-, episomal- and virus-derived vectors, for example, vectors derived from bacterial plasmids, from bacteriophage, from transposons, from yeast episomes, from insertion elements, from yeast chromosomal elements, from viruses such as baculoviruses, papova viruses, such as SV40, vaccinia viruses, adenoviruses, fowl pox viruses, pseudorabies viruses, picornaviruses and retroviruses, and vectors derived from combinations thereof, such as those derived from plasmid and bacteriophage genetic elements, such as cosmids and phagemids. The expression system constructs may comprise control regions that regulate as well as engender expression. Generally, any system or vector suitable to maintain, propagate or express polynucleotides and/or to express a polypeptide in a host may be used for expression in this regard. The appropriate DNA sequence may be inserted into the expression system by any of a variety of well-known and routine techniques, such as, for example, those set forth in Sambrook et ah, MOLECULAR CLONING, A LABORATORY MANUAL, (supra).

[00119] In recombinant expression systems in eukaryotes, for secretion of a translated protein into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, into the periplasmic space or into the extracellular environment, appropriate secretion signals may be incorporated into the expressed polypeptide. These signals may be endogenous to the polypeptide or they may be heterologous signals.

[00120] Polypeptides of the invention can be recovered and purified from recombinant cell cultures by well-known methods including ammonium sulfate or ethanol precipitation, acid extraction, anion or cation exchange chromatography, phosphocellulose chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, affinity chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography, and lectin chromatography. In one embodiment, high performance liquid chromatography is employed for purification. Well known techniques for refolding protein may be employed to regenerate active conformation when the polypeptide is denatured during isolation and or purification. [00121] In another embodiment of the invention, the following sequences were identified in C . passeckerianus (lower case depicts introns):

[00122] P450-3 protein sequence, SEQ ID NO: 1

MSLITIRNGILARWTVMLHMHASFTQLVLTDISVFAHSTSHFLVIWTAIGLAYWID S QKXKXQHLPPGPKKLPIIGN VMDLP AKVE WET Y ARWGKEYN SDIIH VS AMGT S IVILNSANAANDLLLKRSAIYSSRPHSTMHHELSGWGFTWALMPYGESWRAGRR SFTKHFNSSNPGINQPRELRYVKRFLKQLYEKPDDVLDHVRNLVGSTTLSMTYG LETEPYNDPYVDLVEKAVLAASEIMTSGAFLVDIIPAMKHIPPWVPGTIFHQKAA LMRGHAYYVREQPFKVAQEMIKTGDYEPSFVSDALRDLQNSENQEADLEHLKD VAGQWIAGADTTASALGTFFLAMVCFPEVQKKAQRELDSVLNGRMPEHADFP SFPYLNAVIKEWRWRPVTPMGVPHQTISDDWREYHIPKGSIVFANQWAMSND ETDYPQPDEFRPERYLTEDGKPNKAVRDPFDIAFGFGRRICAGRYLAHSTITLAA ASVLSLFDLLKAVDENGKEIEPTREYHQAMISRPLDFPCRIKPRSKEAEEVIRACP LTFTKPASG

[00123] P450-3 polynucleotide sequence, SEQ ID NO: 2

ATGAGTCTGATAACGATCCGGAATGGGATCTTGGCTAGGTGGACTGTCATGC TTCACATGCATGCCAGCTTCACCCAATTGGTGCTTACAGATATATCTGTGTTC GCACACTCCACCTCACATTgtccacgacctccaccttgacattcttcgagagtcttcccaacatctatggctccgt caacggaacgtgctctaccagTCCTTGTAATATGGACTGCTATAGGCTTGGCCTACTGGAT AGATTCTCAGAAGAAGAAAAAGCAGCACCTGCCGCCTGGGCCAAAGAAACT TCCAATTATTGGCAACGTCATGGACCTACCAGCGAAGGTCGAATGGGAAACC TATGCTCGCTGGGGTAAAGAGTACAgtacgtcgactctatgtttgcattacgtccgtagactcattgaagc cttctgaaaatagACTCTGATATCATACATGTTAGCGCCATGGGAACCTCGATCGTAA TACTGAATTCTGCCAACGCCGCCAATGACTTGTTGCTGAAGAGGTCGGCGAT CTACTCGAGCAGgtatggttttagcacggtattgccgatgtctatctgacacgctctatagACCACACAGCA CGATGCACCACGAGCTgtaagtatattgttcgctataaaatagcgctgaagattcacatcacgttactagGTCA GGATGGGGCTTTACGTGGGCCTTAATGCCATACGGCGAGTCATGGCGGGCTG GTCGAAGAAGCTTCACCAAGCACTTCAACTCTTCAAACCCCGGTATAAACCA

ACCTCGTGAGTTGCGATATGTGAAACGGTTCCTCAAGCAGCTTTACGAGAAG

CCCGACGACGTTCTCGATCATGTACGGAAgtatgtttttcgacgggtctttggatgagccataaacctg atctctttgacagCTTGGTCGGCTCTACGACGCTTTCAATGACCTATGGCCTTGAGACT

GAACCTTATAACGACCCCTATGTTGACCTGGTCGAGAAAGCTGTCCTTGCAGC

GTCTGAGATTATGACGTCTGGCGCCTTTCTTGTTGACATCATCCCTGCGATGA

AACACATTCCTCCATGGGTCCCAGGGACTATCTTCCATCAAAAGGCTGCCTTA

ATGCGAGGTCATGCGTACTATGTTCGTGAACAGCCATTCAAAGTTGCCCAGG

AGATGATTgtaagcagccttgcccagctctgtccattcccttgcctaattcatttgtacttagAAAACTGGCGAT

TATGAGCCCTCCTTTGTATCTGACGCTCTCCGAGATCTTCAGAACTCGGAAAA

CCAGGAGGCAGATTTGGAGCACCTCAAGGATGTTGCTGGTCAAGTCTACATT

GgtatgccatgcctttctcttcggtcgtggatggctctaattgtcgactgtttagCTGGTGCTGATACGACTGCA

TCCGCCTTGGGGACTTTCTTCCTCGCCATGGTCTGTTTCCCCGAAGTACAGAA

GAAAGCACAACGAGAATTAGATAGTGTTCTCAATGGAAGGATGCCCGAGCAC

GCCGACTTCCCCTCTTTCCCATACCTCAACGCTGTGATCAAGGAGGTTTACCG

gtatgttatttatgcgttgagcgcaggacttagatcagctgacgctcagacgttcgtgatgcagCTGGAGACCTGTGA

CTCCTATGGGCGTACCTCATCAAACCATCTCAGATGACGTTTACAGGGAATAC

CACATCCCTAAGGGATCCATCGTGTTTGCCAACCAATGgtatgtttgcgttcttgacttctgtac tccagtcttgacctgtctttagGGCGATGTCCAACGACGAGACCGATTACCCCCAGCCAGA

CGAATTCCGGCCTGAGCGATACTTGACCGAAGACGGTAAGCCTAACAAGGCT

GTCAGAGACCCCTTTGATATCGCATTCGGCTTCGGTAGAAGgtcagaaaaccatgcattg agctgcgcccaggatactgacctctccttttagAATTTGCGCTGGTCGTTACCTCGCTCATTCCAC

CATCACCTTGGCTGCGGCCTCTGTTCTGTCGCTGTTTGATCTCTTAAAAGCAG

TTGACGAAAATGGCAAAGAAATTGAGCCTACTAGAGAGTATCACCAGGCTAT

GATCTCgtaagtggttcactgctgaacggccggccttggctaaacgccgtctacagACGTCCACTAGATTTC

CCTTGCCGCATCAAGCCAAGAAGTAAGGAAGCTGAGGAGGTCATCCGTGCTT

GCCCGTTGACGTTCACGAAGCCTGCTAGTGGCTAG

[00124] acetyl transferase protein sequence, SEQ ID NO: 3 MKPFSPELLVLSFILLVLSCAIRPARGRWVLWVIIVGLNTYLTLTPTGDSTLDYDI

A LFVITLTATDYILLTDVQRELQFRNQKGVEQASLLERIKWATWLVQSRRGV

GW WEPKIFVHKFDPKTSRLSFLLQQLVTGFRHYLICDLVSLYSRSPVAFIEPLAS

RPLIWRCADITAWLLFTTNQVSILLTALSVMQVLSGYSEPQDWVPVFGRWRDAY

TVRRFWGRSWHQLVRRCLSAPGKHLSTKILGLKSGSNPALYVQLYTAFFLSGVL

HAIGDFKVHADWYKAGTMEFFCVQAAIIQMEDGVLWVGRKLGIKPTSYWKALG

HLWTVAWFVYSCPNWLGATVSGRGKASMSLESSLILGLYRGEW PPRVAQ

[00125] acetyl transferase polynucleotide sequence, SEQ ID NO: 4 ATGAAGCCCTTCTCACCAGAACTTCTGGTTCTATCTTTCATTCTATTGGTACTA TCTTGTGCCATCCGGCCTGCTAGAGGACGATGGGTTCTCTGGGTCATTATTGT TGGGCTCAACACCTACCTCACCCTGACTCCGACCGGCGATTCGACCTTGGATT ATGACATTGCCAATAACCTCTTCGTTATTACCCTCACGGCCACAGATTATATT CTCTTGACGGACGTCCAGAGAGAGTTACAATTCCGCAACCAGAAAGGTGTCG AGCAAGCCTCGTTGCTTGAACGCATCAAGTGGGCGACCTGGCTGGTGCAAAG TCGGCGTGGTGTGGGCTGGAATTGGGAGCCGAAGATTTTCGTCCACAAGTTT GACCCAAAGACTTCACGCCTTTCATTCCTCCTCCAGCAACTCGTCACAGGTTT TCGGCATTACCTTATTTGCGATCTAGTCTCGCTATATAGCCGCAGTCCAGTCG CCTTCATCGAACCTCTTGCTTCTCGCCCTCTGATCTGGCGGTGTGCAGATATT ACCGCATGGCTCCTGTTCACGACGAACCAAGTATCAATTCTTCTTACGGCATT GAGTGTCATGCAAGTTCTCTCAGGTTACTCAGAACCACAGgtgtgtaattgtatattgcgcc aggccgaagaatctagggtctgattagagctaccgatagGACTGGGTCCCCGTGTTTGGCCGCTGGA GAGATGCTTATACCGTTAGGCGGTTCTGGGGgtaagtccattgaatctactcctgggttaaccttatct cacatcaatgaaaagTCGATCGTGGCATCAATTGGTTCGCAGAgtaagcttcttctcttcaatcatcatc agtaccctctctgacctaaacgtaataagTGCCTATCAGCCCCAGGAAAACATCTTTCCACGAA GATTCTAGGCTTGAAGTCTGGCTCTAACCCGGCGCTTTACGTACAACTGTACA CCGCATTCTTCCTCTCGGGAGTTTTGCATGCGATTGGGGACTTCAAGGTTCAC GCAGATTGGTACAAAGCCGGGACTATGGAGTTCTTCTGTGTTCAAGCGGCGA TCATACAGATGGAGGATGGGGTTCTCTGGGTCGGAAGGAAGCTTGGTATCAA GCCGACTTCGTACTGGAAGGCCCTTGGACATCTTTGGACTGTGGCATGGTTCG TCTACAGCTGCCCGAATTGGCTGGGGGCAACTGTCTCGGGAAGGGGAAAGGC CTCAATGTCGTTGGAGAGTAGTCTCATTCTTGGTCTGTACCGGGGGGAATGGA ATCCCCCTCGTGTAGCACAGTAG

[00126] cyclase protein sequence, SEQ ID NO: 5

[00127] MGLSEDLHARARTLMQTLESALNTPGSRGIGTANPTIYDTA WVAMVSREIDGKQVFVFPETFTYIYEHQEADGSWSGDGSLIDSIVNTLACLVALK MHESNASKPDIPARARAAQNYLDDALKRWDIMETERVAYEMIVPCLLKQLDAF GVSFSFPHHDLLYNMYAGKLAKLNWEAIYAKNSSLLHCMEAFVGVCDFDRMPH LLRDGNFMATPSTTAAYLMKATKWDDRAEDYLRHVIEVYAPHGRDWPNLWP MTFFEIVWSLSSLYDNNLEFAQMDPECLDRIALKLREFLVAGKGVLGFVPGTTH DADMSSKTLMLLQVLNHPYAHDEFVTEFEAPTYFRCYSFERNASVTVNSNCLMS LLHAPDVNMYESQIVKIATYVADVWWTSAGWKDKWNVSEWYSSMLSSQALV RLLFEHGKGNLKSISEELLSRVSIACFTMISRILQSQKPDGSWGCAEETSYALITLA NVASLPTCDLIRDHLYKVIESAKAYLTSIFYARPAAKPEDRVWIDKVTYSVESFR DAYLVSALNVPIPRFDPSSISTLPTISQTLPKELSKFFGRLDMFKPAPEWRKLTWGI E ATLMGPELNRVP S STF AKVEKG AAGKWFEFLP YMTI AP S SLEGTPI S SQ GMLD V LVLIRGLYNTDDYLDMTLIKATNDDLNDLKKKIRDLFADPKSFSTLSEVPDDRMP THIEVIERFAYSLLNHPRAQLASDNDKALLRSEIEHYFLAGIGQCEENILLRERGLD KERIGTSHYRWTHWGADNVAGTIALVFALCLLGHQINEERGSRDLVDVFPSPVL KYLFNDCVMHFGTFSRLANDLHSISRDFNEVNLNSIMFSEFTGPKSGTDTEKARE AALLELTKFERKATDDGFEYLVKQLTPHVGAKRARDYINIIRVTYLHTALYDDL GRLTRADISNANQEVSKGTNGVKKANGSATNGIKVTANGSNGIHH

[00128] cyclase polynucleotide sequence, SEQ ID NO: 6

ATGGGTCTATCCGAAGATCTTCATGCACGCGCCCGAACCCTCATGCAGACTCT CGAGTCTGCGCTCAATACGCCAGGTTCTAGGGGTATTGGCACCGCGAATCCG ACTATCTACGACACTGCTTGGGTAGCCATGGTCTCCCGTGAGATCGACGGCA AGCAAGTCTTCGTCTTCCCGGAGACCTTCACCTACATCTACGAGCACCAGGA GGCCGACGGCAGTTGGTCAGGGGATGGGTCACTCATCGACTCCATCGTCAAC ACTCTGGCCTGCCTTGTCGCTCTCAAGATGCACGAGAGCAACGCCTCAAAAC

CCGACATACCTGCCCGTGCCAGAGCCGCTCAAAATTATCTCGACGATGCCCT

AAAGCGCTGGGACATCATGGAGACTGAGCGTGTCGCGTACGAGATGATCGTA

CCCTGCCTCCTCAAACAACTCGATGCCTTTGGCGTATCCTTCAGCTTCCCCCA

TCATGACCTTCTGTACAACATGTACGCCGGAAAACTGGCGAAGCTTAACTGG

GAGGCTATCTACGCCAAGAACAGCTCCTTGCTTCACTGCATGGAGGCATTCGT

TGGTGTCTGCGACTTCGATCGCATGCCTCATCTCCTACGTGATGGTAACTTCA

TGGCTACGCCATCTACCACCGCTGCATACCTCATGAAGGCCACCAAGTGGGA

TGACCGAGCGGAGGATTACCTTCGCCACGTTATCGAGGTCTACGCACCCCAT

GGCCGAGATGTTGTTCCTAACCTCTGGCCGATGACCTTCTTCGAGATCGTATG

GgtatgttctctcattgttgatttactaactcagtgctaactaccttgcttccagTCGCTCAGCTCCCTTTATGAC

AACAACCTGGAGTTTGCACAAATGGATCCGGAATGCTTGGATCGCATTGCCC

TCAAACTACGTGAATTCCTTGTGGCAGGAAAAGGTGTCTTAGGCTTCGgtcagtcc ttctttgagcattttgatgtatcatggctgatgatgacctgtatagTTCCCGGCACCACTCACGACGCTGAC

ATGAGCTCGAAGACCCTGATGCTCTTGCAAGTTCTCAACCACCCATATGCCCA

TGACGAATTCGTCACAGAGTTTGAGGCACCTACCTACTTCCGTTGCTACTCTT

TCGAAAGGAACGCAAGCGTGACCGTCAACTCCAACTGCCTTATGTCGCTCCT

CCACGCCCCTGATGTCAACATGTACGAATCCCAAATCGTCAAGATCGCCACC

TACGTCGCCGATGTCTGGTGGACATCAGCAGGTGTCGTCAAAGACAAATGGgt aagccataccttatcaattgatcttgctgtcaactaaactatcctttcagAATGTATCAGAATGGTACTCCTCT

ATGCTGTCTTCACAGGCGCTTGTCCGTCTCCTTTTCGAGCACGGAAAGGGCAA

CCTTAAATCCATATCTGAGGAGCTTCTGTCCAGGGTGTCCATCGCCTGCTTCA

CAATGATCAGTCGTATTCTCCAGAGCCAGAAGCCCGATGGCTCTTGGGGATG

CGCTGAAGAAACCTCATACGCTCTCATTACACTCGCCAACGTCGCTTCTCTTC

CCACTTGCGACCTCATCCGCGACCACCTGTACAAAGTCATTGAATCCGCGAA

GGCATACCTCACCTCCATCTTCTACGCCCGCCCTGCTGCCAAACCGGAGGACC

GTGTCTGGATTGACAAGGTTACATATAGCGTCGAGTCATTCCGCGATGCCTAC

CTCGTTTCTGCTCTCAACGTACCCATCCCCCGCTTCGATCCATCTTCCATCAGC

ACTCTTCCTACTATCTCGCAAACCTTGCCAAAGGAACTCTCTAAGTTCTTCGG

GCGTCTTGACATGTTCAAGCCTGCTCCCGAATGGCGCAAGCTTACGTGGGGC ATTGAGGCCACTCTCATGGGCCCCGAGCTCAACCGTGTCCCATCGTCCACGTT

CGCCAAGGTAGAGAAGGGAGCGGCGGGCAAATGGTTCGAGTTCTTGCCATAC

ATGACCATCGCTCCGAGCAGCTTGGAAGGCACTCCTATCAGTTCACAAGGGA

TGCTGGACGTGCTCGTTCTCATCCGCGGTCTTTACAACACCGACGACTACCTC

GATATGACCCTCATCAAGGCCACCAATGACGACTTGAACGACCTCAAGAAGA

AGATCCGCGACCTGTTCGCGGATCCGAAGTCGTTCTCGACCCTCAGCGAGGT

CCCGGATGACCGGATGCCTACGCACATCGAGGTCATTGAGCGCTTTGCCTATT

CCCTGTTGAACCATCCCCGTGCACAGCTCGCCAGCGATAACGATAAGGCTCT

CCTCCGCTCCGAAATCGAGCACTATTTCCTGGCAGGTATTGGTCAGTGCGAAG

AAAACATTCTCCTTCGTGAACGTGGACTCGACAAGGAGCGCATCGGAACCTC

TCACTATCGCTGGACACATGTCGTTGGCGCTGACAACGTCGCCGGGACCATC

GCCCTCGTCTTCGCCCTTTGTCTTCTTGGTCATCAGATCAATGAAGAACGAGG

CTCTCGCGATTTGGTGGACGTTTTCCCCTCCCCAGTCCTGAAGTACTTGTTCA

ACGACTGCGTCATGCACTTCGGTACATTCTCAAGGCTCGCCAACGATCTTCAC

AGTATCTCCCGCGACTTCAACGAAGTCAATCTCAACTCCATCATGTTCTCCGA

ATTCACAGGACCAAAGTCTGGTACAGATACAGAGAAGGCTCGTGAAGCTGCT

CTGCTTGAATTGACCAAATTCGAACGCAAGGCCACCGACGATGGGTTCGAGT

ACTTGGTCAAGCAACTCACTCCACATGTCGGTGCCAAACGTGCACGGGATTA

TATCAATATCATCCGGGTCACCTACCTGCACACGGCACTCTACGATGACCTTG

GTCGTCTCACTCGCGCTGATATCAGCAACGCCAACCAGGAGGTTTCCAAAGG

TACCAATGGGGTTAAGAAAGCTAATGGGTCGGCGACAAATGGGATCAAGGTC

ACAGCAAACGGGAGCAATGGAATCCACCATTGA

[00129] geranyl geranyl diphosphate synthase protein sequence, SEQ ID

NO: 7

MRIPN VFLS YLRQ VAVDGTLS S C S G VKSRKP VI A YGFDD S QD SLVDENDEKILEP

FGYYRHLLKGKSARTVLMHCFNAFLGLPEDWVIGVTKAIEDLHNASLLIDDIEDE

SALRRGSPAAHMKYGIALTMNAGNLWFTVLQDWDLGMKTGGTQVANAMAR

IYTEEMIELHRGQGIEIWWRDQRSPPSVDQYIHMLEQKTGGLLRLGVRLLQCHPG

VNNRADLSDIALRIGWYQLRDDYINLMSTSYHDERGFAEDITEGKYTFPMLHSL KRSPDSGLREILDLKPADIALKKKAIAIMQDTGSLVATR LLGAVK DLSGLVAE QRGDD Y AM S AGLERFLEKLYI AE

[00130] geranyl geranyl diphosphate synthase polynucleotide sequence, SEQ ID NO: 8

ATGAGAATACCTAACGTCTTTCTCTCTTACCTGCGACAAGTCGCCGTCGACGG

CACTCTGTCATCTTGCTCTGGAGTGAAATCACGAAAGCCGGTCATTGCCTATG

GCTTTGACGACTCACAAGACTCTCTCGTCGATgtaagcaccttcttctgtatcatttcaactctggctc accggcttggtaaaaacctagGAGAATGACGAAAAAATATTGGAGCCCTTTGGCTACTAT

CGTCATCTTTTGAAAGGCAAGAGCGCCAGGACGGTGTTGATGCACTGCTTCA

ACGCGTTCCTTGGACTGCCCGAAGATTGGGTCATTGGCGTAACAAAGGCCAT

TGAAGACCTTCATAATGCATCCCTACTgtgagcataatgtccacaccatttattttttttgttcgatctctga catcgcacctggcagAATTGATGATATCGAAGACGAGTCCGCTCTCCGTCGTGGTTCA

CCAGCTGCCCACATGAAGTACGGGATTGCCCTGACCATGAACGCGGGGAATC

TTGTCTACTTCACGGTCCTTCAAGACGTCTATGACCTCGGAATGAAGACAGGC

GGCACTCAGGTCGCCAACGCAATGGCTCGCATCTACACTGAAGAGATGATTG

AGCTCCACCGTGGTCAAGGCATTGAAATCTGGTGGCGTGACCAGCGGTCCCC

TCCTTCCGTCGATCAATACATTCACATGCTCGAGCAGAgtgagtttttccaccgactgctgtc atccacggacatatcctgactattccctcaccagAAACCGGCGGCCTGCTCAGGCTTGGCGTACGG

CTCTTGCAATGCCATCCCGGTGTCAATAACAGGGCCGACCTCTCCGACATTGC

GCTCCGTATTGGTGTCTACTACCAACTTCGCGACGACTACATCAACCTCATGT

CCACAAGCTACCATGACGAGCGTGGATTCGCTGAGGACATAACCGAAGGAA

AGTACACTTTCCCGATGTTACACTCACTCAAGAGGTCACCTGATTCTGGACTG

CGTGgtatgtgttcagcagtcgcttgctttcaatgatttactgacagcccgggatttcatttagAAATCTTGGACCTT

AAACCGGCAGACATTGCCCTGAAGAAGAAAGCTATCGCTATCATGCAAGATA

CTGGATCGCTTGTTGCAACCCGGAACCTTCTCGGTGCAGTTAAGAATGATCTC

AGTGGATTGGTTGCTGAACAGCGTGGAGACGACTACGCTATGAGCGCGGGTC

TTGAACGATTCTTGGAAAAGTTGTACATCGCAGAGTAG

[00131] P450-1 protein sequence, SEQ ID NO: 9 MLSVDLPSVANLDPVIVAAAAGSAVAVYKLLQLGSRENFLPPGPPTKPVLGNAH

LMTKMWLPMQLTEWAREYGEWSLKLMNRTVIVLNSPKAVRTILDKQGNITGD

RPFSPMIARYTEGLNLTVESMDTSVWKTGRKGIHNYLTPSALSGYIPRQEEESV

LMHDLLMDAPNRPIHIRRAMMSLLLHIWGQPRCESYYGTIIENAYEAATRIGQIA

HNGAAVDAFPFLDYIPRGFPGAGWKTIVDEFKDFRNGVYNSLLEGAKKAMDSG

VRTGSFAESVIDHPDGRSWLELSNLSGGFLDAGAKTTISYIESCILALIAHPNCQR

KIQDELDNVLGTETMPCFNDLERLPYLKAFLQEVLRLRPVGPVALPHVSRESLSY

GGYVLPEGSMIFMNIWGMGHDPELFDEPEAFKPERYFLSPNGTKPGLSEDVNPDF

LFGAGRRVCPGDKLAKRSTGLFIMRLCWAFNFYPDSSNKDTVK MNMEDCYDK

SVSLETLPLPFACKIEPRDKMKEDLIKEAFAAL

[00132] P450-1 polynucleotide sequence, SEQ ID NO: 10

ATGCTGTCCGTCGACCTCCCGTCTGTTGCGAACTTGGATCCCGTGATCGTGGC TGCTGCTGCAGGTTCCGCTGTTGCCGTCTATAAGCTCCTTCAGCTAGGCTCCA GGGAGAACTTCTTGCCACCCGGGCCACCTACCAAGCCTGTTCTCGGAAATGC TCATCTCATGACGAAGATGTGGCTTCCAATGCAgtatgttttgcccgtcctcaactcggccaccta aagctaatttaccccagATTGACAGAGTGGGCCAGGGAGTATGGCGAAGTGTACTCTgtg agtcgtgcagaacgatagaaacaataaacttctcatggtttctagCTCAAATTGATGAATCGCACTGTGA TTGTTCTGAACAGTCCAAAGGCTGTTCGGACTATTCTTGACAAGCAGGGTAAT ATCACAGGAGgttggtttcttccagttcagcctaatcgtaccggaattgactggagtatgtctcagACCGGCCAT TTTCGCCCATGATTGCCCGGTATACAGAAGGCCTGAATCTCACGGTGGAAAG CATGGgtatgtcatttctctacaccgtttaaacacttcctgataacgcattttcttcagACACTTCCGTATGGAAG ACTGGTCGCAAAGGTATCCACAATTACCTAACGCCAAGTGCCTTGAGTGGCT ACATACCGCGACAAGAAGAGGAATCTGTGAACCTCATGCACGATCTATTGAT GGACGCTCCTgtcagttcgacgaatctttctggttagtgatgtccttaactgacgaaccaacgatagAATCGGCC GATCCATATTAGGCGTGCTATGATGTCGCTACTCCTGCACATTGTGTATGGCC AGCCACGTTGCGAAAGTTACTATGGCACGATTATCGAGAATGCATACGAAGC TGCCACCAGAATTGGTCAAATCGCTCACAACGGTGCAGCGGTCGACGCTTTC CCCTTCTTAGACTACATCCCTCGCGGTTTCCCCGGGGCCGGCTGGAAGACCAT TGTGGATGAATTCAAGGATTTCCGTAATGGTGTCTACAATTCTCTCTTGGAAG GTGCCAAGAAGGCGATGGATTCCGGGGTCAGGACCGGATCTTTTGCAGAGTC

CGTGATTGACCATCCGGATGGTCGTAGCTGGCTTGAGTTATCgtacgtaaatcctctgca gatacgttgagcgagtatctgataatattttctagAAACCTTAGCGGTGGTTTCTTGGACGCCGGCG

CGAAGACCACGATATCGTACATCGAATCGTGTATTCTTGCTCTTATCGCCCAC

CCGAACTGCCAGCGCAAGATACAGGACGAGCTGGACAATGTTTTGGGGACCG

AAACCATGCCATGCTTCAATGATTTGGAACGGTTGCCTTATCTCAAGGCGTTC

CTACAGGAGgtgagtcccatgggaagacatctgtcagtttcattgttctcaatcgcgtggcttagGTCCTTCGGC

TTCGGCCAGTCGGCCCTGTAGCCCTTCCCCACGTCTCGCGGGAGAGCTTGTCT

gtgagttcacgaacgtggtatcttatcgtgattttcggacactgacgggcttcctagTATGGCGGTTACGTACTG

CCAGAGGGAAGTATGATCTTCATGAACATCTgtgagttgattatctctcacatttctgagcattgaac gcaccagtctctagGGGGAATGGGCCATGACCCCGgtaagtccctgatcccaactcgattaactacgtgtttct gacgacactaacctccagAGCTCTTCGACGAACCTGAGGCCTTCAAGCCTGAACGCTAT

TTCTTGTCGCCAAACGGCACGAAGCCAGGCTTATCTGAAGACGTCAATCCCG

ATTTCCTGTTCGGTGCTGGACGTgtgagtctcatcctatccttcactcggtacctcatcatttactgtctttagA

GAGTCTGCCCAGGCGATAAGCTGGCAAAACGATCAACTgtacgttaggtgttcttccgggtc gaagaaatttgctgatatgaactggcacagGGTCTCTTCATCATGAGGCTCTGTTGGGCATTCA

ATTTTTACCCAGATTCTTCAAACAAGGACACTGTGAAGAATATGAACATGGA

GGACTGTTACGACAAGTCGgtgcgtatagtcgcttatcattttctcaagatacggctgccgaggttaacgatcac ttttattctgacagGTTTCTCTTGAGACTCTTCCACTTCCGTTCGCATGCAAAATTGAAC

CTCGAGATAAGATGAAGGAAGACTTGATTAAGGAAGCGTTCGCTGCGTTGTA

G

[00133] P450-2 protein sequence, SEQ ID NO: 11

MNLSALKAALLDSNMIAPVAIPLACYLWKLLRMGSREKTLPPGPPTKPVLGNL HQMPAMDDMHLQLSRWAQEYGGIYSLKIFFKNVIVLTDSASVTGILDKLNAKTA ERPTGFLPAPIKDDRFLPIASYKSDEFRINHKAFKLLISNDSIDRYAENIETETIVLM KELLAEPKEFFRHLVRTSMSSIVAIAYGERVLTSSDPFIPYHEEYLHDFENMMGLR GVHFTALIPWLAKWLPDSLAGWRVMAQGIKDKQLGIFNDFLGRVEKRMEAGVF DGSHMQTILQRKDEFGFKDRDLIAYHGGVMIDGGTDTLAMFTRVFVLMMTMHP ECQQKIRDELKEVMGDEYDSRLPTYQDALKMKYFNCWREVTRIWPPSPIVPPH YSTEDFEY GYFIPKGTVIVMNLYGIQRDPNVFEAPDDFRPERYMESEFGTKPSV DLTGYRHTFTFGAGRRLCPGLKMAEIFKRTVSLNIIWGFDIKPLPNSPKSMKDDV WPGPVSMPKPFECEMVPRSQSWQVIHDVADY

[00134] P450-2 polynucleotide sequence, SEQ ID NO: 12

ATGAATCTTTCTGCTCTGAAGGCTGCTCTGCTTGACAGCAACATGATCGCACC TGTGGCCATCCCTTTGGCATGCTACTTGGTCTACAAGCTGCTTCGTATGGGGT CGAGGGAGAAGACGTTACCTCCTGGGCCACCTACGAAGCCGGTGTTGGGTAA TCTCCACCAGATGCCAGCAATGGACGACATGCACCTTCAgtaggttgcccaaagctactcc ttcattgacgtacctaaccacgttttctagGCTTAGCCGATGGGCACAAGAATATGGAGGAATAT ACAGCgttagtattgacgatacaccgcatttctcaatattcatgaagtttatgccacatagTTGAAGATCTTCTTC AAGAACGTTATCGTCCTAACAGACTCAGCCTCCGTTACTGGCATTCTTGACAA GCTGAATGCCAAGACTGCTGAAAGACCCACTGGTTTCCTCCCTGCTCCTATCA AAGACGACCGTTTCCTTCCTATCGCCTCCTACAgtacgacaagctctttgttcgtgggtcctttatct gactgactctgtttcagAATCCGACGAATTCCGAATCAACCACAAGGCCTTTAAGTTGC TCATTAGCAACGACAGTATTGATCGATATGCAGAGAACATTGAGACGGAGAC CATCGTGCTGATGAAGGAGCTGTTGGCTGAGCCCAAGgtaagggatttcgattagcactatcg actgttttgacagaggctttcacagGAATTCTTTAGGCATCTCGTCCGCACCAGCATGTCCAG TATTGTTGCTATCGCTTATGGTGAACGCGTCCTCACCTCCTCAGACCCATTCA TTCCCTACCACGAAGAATATCTTCACGACTTCGAAAACATGATGGGTCTCCGA GGTGTTCACTTCACCGCTCTAATTCCTTGGCTCGCCAAGTGGCTTCCTGATAG TCTGGCCGGCTGGAGGGTCATGGCTCAAGGTATCAAGGACAAGCAACTTGGT ATCTTTAATGATTTCCTCGGAAGGGTTGAGAAGAGAATGGAAGCTGGCGTCT TCGACGGGTCTCACATGCAGACCATTCTTCAGAGGAAGGATGAGTTTGGATT CAAGGATAGGGATCTTATTGCgttagtctctcctttcccatcaccgctatgttgaatggaaactgacgtacattc tgcagCTATCACGGAGGCGTCATGATTGACGGAGGAACTGATACCCTCGCTATG TTCACTCGTGTCTTCGTGCTCATGATGACGATGCACCCCGAATGCCAGCAGAA GATTCGTGATGAGCTGAAGGAGGTCATGGGCGATGAATACGACTCGCGTTTG CCAACTTATCAAGATGCATTGAAGATGAAATACTTCAATTGCGTCGTCAGAG AGgtttgtggattgacttgacgtgatgtatgaagggttaacagattccatcctcgcagGTAACTCGCATCTGGCC TCCGAGTCCCATCGTACCGCCTCATTACTCGACAGAGGATTTCGAAgtaattgaccct tttcctcgctataggtgatggagctgacaataccttagTACAATGGCTACTTCATCCCGAAGGGTACC

GTCATCGTGATGAACCTTTgtgagtgctacccttctgtctcttttctgacatgctgattctgaatttgtgatagAT

GGCATCCAACGAGACCCAAgtgagtgacctcttgtattgctgattgtgaagccatactgaagcctttttgcagA

TGTTTTCGAGGCCCCAGACGATTTCCGCCCCGAACGGTACATGGAGTCTGAAT

TTGGCACAAAACCAAGCGTTGACCTGACTGGCTACCGTCATACCTTCACTTTC

GGCGCTGGGCGCAGGCTCTGTCCTGGACTCAAGATGGCTGAAATTTTCAAGgt atgctacgctcgtgacctcagtgacaactgatagctgatgttctgatagCGCACTGTATCTTTGAACATCAT

CTGGGGATTCGACATCAAGCCCCTGCCTAACAGCCCCAAGTCAATGAAGGAC

GATGTCGTTGTACCCgtgagtgccccacgacgcgtgccagaacaaaattcttagttgttcacaatagGGTCCG

GTCTCGATGCCAAAACCGTTTGAATGCGAGATGGTACCACGTAGTCAGTCAG

TTGTGCAGGTGATCCACGATGTTGCAGACTATTAG

[00135] short chain dehydrogenase/reductase protein sequence, SEQ ID

NO: 13

MEGKVIAIVTGASNGIGLATVNLLLAAGASVFGVDLALAPPSVTSGKFKFLQLNI

CDKDAPAPJVSGSKDAFGSEPJDALLNVAGISDYFQTALTFEDDVWDRVIDVNLA

AQVRLMREVLKVMKVQKSGSIVNWSKLALSGACGGVAYVASKHALLGVTKN

TAWMFKDDGIRCNAVAPGSTDTNIRNTTDPTKIDYDAFSRAMPVIGVHCNLQTG

EGMMSPEPAAQAIFFLASDLSNGTNGWIPVDNGWSVI

[00136] short chain dehydrogenase/reductase polynucleotide sequence, SEQ ID NO: 14

ATGGAAGGCAAGGTCgtgctccattgttttagtcattatatgaaaatcctgctaaccatctgaatcacatagATCG

CAATCGTCACAGGCGCATCCAATGGCATTGGACTCGCCACCGTCAATCTCCTC

CTCGCAGCAGGAGCGTCTGTCTTTGGCGTAGACCTCGCTCTAGCACCGCCCTC

GGTGACCTCCGGAAAATTCAAATTCCTACAACTCAACATCTGCGACAAGGAT

GCACCCGCCAGGATTGTGTCCGGCTCCAAGGACGCCTTTGGAAGCGAGAGAA

TCGACGCCCTCTTGAACGTCGCTGGTATCTCGGACTACTTCCAGACCGCGTTG

ACCTTCGAAGACGATGTATGGGACAGAGTCATCGATGTCAACCTGGCTGCAC AAGTGAGGTTGATGAGAGAGGTATTGAAGGTTATGAAGGTCCAGAAGTCAG

GTAGTATCGTGAACGTAGTCAGCAAGCTGGCCCTCAGCGGTGCTTGTGGAGG

TGTCGCATACGTTGCGAGTAAACATGCCTTGgtaagaggatgtcccgctgctagcatcgtacttgct aatgcaagcaatcggcttctgtagCTTGGTGTGACAAAGAACACCGCGTGGATGTTCAAGG

ACGATGGTATTCGATGCAATGCCGTGGCGCCTGGCTCGACCGACACCAACAT

TCGAAACACGACAGACCCGACCAAAATAGATTATGATGCATTCTCTCGAGCC

ATgtgagtatcttccgtggattttcgggatgtcgttcgttctctgatcaaagaccttgggataagGCCTGTTATCGGC

GTACACTGCAACTTGCAGACCGGCGAGGGTATGATGAGCCCTGAACCTGCAG

CCCAAGCGATCTTCTTCTTAGCTTCAGACTTGAGTAACGGGACAAATGGCGTC

GTTATTCCGGTCGATAACGGGTGGAGTGTCATTTAG

[00137] zinc-binding dehydrogenase protein sequence, SEQ ID NO: 15 MPVIRNGSAKFNKVPTGYPVPGETIWDESQTIDTDHVPLNGGFLVKTLVLSIDPY LRGKMRAPEKSSYSPPFPVGKPLYSPGDGWRSENENVKAGDHVYGVFQHQEY NIIASSDGYKVLENKESLSWSTYVGAAGMPGKTAFYAWKEFSKAKKGETAFVT AGGGPVGSMVIQLAMRDGLKVIASTGSEAKVEFKKSIGADVAFNYKTTKTVGVL AQEGPIDWWDNVGGETLEAALDAASRKARFIECGMISGYNGDGTPIKNLMLIV GKEITM SGFI VS S LEHKY AEEFY AT VP AQI AS GELKLTEDI

[00138] zinc-binding dehydrogenase polynucleotide sequence, SEQ ID

NO: 16

ATGCCAGTGATCAGAAACGGAAGCGCCAAGTTTAATAAGGTCCCAACAGgtttg gttttggttcgacattgcaaacccatttttctcccaagtatttccaccacagGATATCCTGTACCCGGAGAGAC

GATCGTATACGACGAGTCGCAGACCATCGACACAGATCATGTGCCGCTCAAT

GGAGGGTTCCTGGTCAAGACCTTGGTCCTGTCCATTGATCCCTACCTGCGAGG

AAAAATGCGCGCACCTGAGAAGTCCAGCTATTCGgtaagtgataggtttttgaggtgtcataattc tcactggtttattgggtctagCCACCCTTCCCTGTCGGCAAACCgtgatttttgcctttgttttccggatgttgtga taattctaacactagcaccttcagATTGTATAGCCCTGGTGACGGAGTAGTTCGCTCTGAGA

ATGAGAACGTCAAAGCTGGAGATCATGTATATGGTGTCTTCCgtatgctgccgtttctcta tctaaccaaggtctaagaacatgtctaatcgtaagatactggAGCATCAGGAATACAACATCATCGCAT CTTCTGATGGCTACAAAGTTCTTGAGAACAAGGAAAGTTTGTCTTGGTCGACT

TACGTTGGAGCTGCGGGAATGCCAGgtaactattttctgtttgcacttgaactttgtcaataactaacaaacc ttgcaagGTAAAACGGCTTTTTACGCATGGAAGGAGTTTTCAAAAGCAAAGAAGg tttgcaaaatgatttccagcttacggatccgtctaacgatcttgaagGGGGAAACCGCATTCGTGACTGCA

GGAGGAGGCCCCGTTGGCTCgtaggtgtcctcccttgtcaaggcttctttatctcacccgcctgtcgatacaaC

ATGGTCATCCAGCTAGCCATGCGCGATGGGCTAAAAGTCATCGCATCCACTG

GCTCGGAGGCCAAAGTTGAGTTCAAGAAGTCCATTGGTGCTGACGTCGCCTT

CAACTATAAGACGACCAAAACCGTTGGAGTTCTGGCTCAGGAGGGGCCCATT

GATGTgtacgtctctctgtacctggaagaaacacgagtttacgatacattttgactataaATACTGGGACAATGT

TGGCGGAGAAACGCTCGAAGCCGCTCTCGACGCTGCCAGCCGAAAGGCGCGT

TTCATAgtaagtaagtcctcgcacatttgaaccaagctaacggcggtcacatccagGAATGTGGAATGATTT

CGGGCTATAATGGCGACGGAACGCCTATTAAGgtgtgtcctccttgcatagcgtcttgacttcctga ccttagactgcccccttagAATCTTATGTTGATTGTCGGCAAAGAGATTACCATGTCCGG

ATTCATCGTCAGCTCTTTGGAACACAAATATGCAGAGGAATTCTACGCGACT

GTCCCCGCTCAGATTGCCTCCGGTGAACTCAAGTTGACCGAAGATATATAG

[00139] flavin-binding monooxygenase protein sequence, SEQ ID NO: 17

MSITPEQLDQLLSVPLATLDRLGAAPVPADIDVKKVAQDWFAAFASAAEAGDAK QVASLFITDSFWRDLLALTWDFRTFIGLPKVTEFLEDRLKAVKPKSFKLREDHYL GLQSPFPDFTFISFFFDFKTDVGVASGIIRLVPTATDGWKGYCVFTNLEDLKGFPE QINGLRD S S P WHGKWEEKRRKE VELEGTQPKVLI VGGGQ S GLC VAARLKALG V PSLIIEKNARIGDSWRTRYDALCLHDPIYFDHMPYMPFPSTWPLFTPAKKLGQWL ESYAAALDLNVWTSSIVESARKEEATGQWTIKIKRGDQSPITLNMSYLVFATGAG SGKAELPSIPGMETFKGQILHSIQHDRATDHLGKKWIVGAGSSAHDIAEDYYWS GVDVTMYQRSSTNIMTTANSRKVMLGALYSENAPPTAIADRLLNAFPFAVGARL AQRAVKVIAEMDKELLDGLRKVGFGLNDGMNGAGPLVSVRERIGGFHLDAGAS QLIADGKIKLKSGSSIEHITPTGLKFADGSELQAEVILFATGLGTTGTVNREILGEE LTAQLKPFWGNTVEGELNGVWADSGIDNLWNAVGNFAICRFNSKHLALQIKAK EEGLFSGRYVATLPN [00140] flavin-binding monooxygenase polynucleotide sequence, SEQ ID

NO: 18

ATGTCGATTACTCCCGAACAACTCGACCAACTTCTTAGTGTTCCTCTGGCCAC

CCTTGACCGCTTGGGTGCAGCGCCCGTTCCAGCAGACATTGATGTAAAGAAA

GTCGCCCAGGATTGGTTTGCTGCCTTTGCTTCTGCAGCCGAGGCCGGTGATGC

CAAACAAGTTGCATCTCTCTTCATCACGGATTCCTTCTGGCGAGATCTCCTCG

CCTTGACGTGGGACTTTCGTACATTCATCGGGCTCCCAAAGGTCACGGAGTTC

CTCGAAGATAGGCTCAAGGCTGTCAAGCCGAAGTCATTCAAGCTGCGTGAAG

ACCACTACTTGGGCCTACAAAGCCCCTTCCCCGACTTCACCTTCATCTCGTTC

TTCTTCGACTTCAAAACCGATGTTGGCGTTGCCTCTGGCATTATCCGTCTGGT

CCCCACTGCTACCGATGGATGGAAGGGATATTGCGTCTTCACCAATCTCGAG

GACTTGAAGGGATTCCCCGAGCAGATCAATGGTCTCCGAGACTCTTCGCCCT

GGCATGGCAAATGGGAAGAGAAGAGGAGGAAGGAAGTCGAACTCGAGGGC

ACACAACCTAAAGTCCTGATTGTTGGAGGAGGCCAAAGCGGCTTATGCGTTG

CTGCAAGGCTCAAGGCTTTGGGCGTTCCTTCCCTGATTATCGAGAAGAATGCC

CGAATTGGTGATAGCTGGCGTACGCGCTACGATGCGCTCTGTCTACACGATCC

CATTTgtaaggccaaactccactctcgttgcccatctctcacattcgttacagATTTTGACCACATGCCATA

CATGCCgtatgttcattacctcgttgactggtgcaagcactgactcacctaatttagTTTCCCTTCAACTTGGC

CACTCTTCACTCCTGCCAAGAAGgtgagatggtttccttttgtgaatctgggaccttacagctccatcagCT

TGGACAATGGCTCGAAAGTTACGCAGCAGCTCTTGATCTCAATGTTTGGACTT

CTTCCATCGTTGAAAGCGCCAGAAAGGAGGAAGCAACTGGCCAATGGACCAT

CAAAATCAAGCGTGGAGATCAATCACCAATCACTTTGAATATGTCCTACTTG

GTTTTCGCGACAGGAGCAGGAAGTGGTAAGGCGGAGCTCCCCTCCATCCCTG

GAATGgtaagaaaccaagtcttttcaacttcctctgaccttcgctcatacggacaccagGAAACATTCAAAGG

CCAAATCCTCCATTCTATCCAGCACGACAGAGCAACAGACCATCTTGGAAAG

AAGGTGGTCATTGTCGGTGCAGGTTCCTCTGCTCATGATATTGCAGAAGACTA

CTATTGGAGCGGTGTCGgcaagtagtttggtcttacctgttctgcatccttattcaaagttttataattggtagATG

TGACGATGTATCAAAGGAGCTCGACCAATATCATGACAACGGCGAATTCTAG AAAAGTCATGCTTGGAGgtatttcagctctgctttcccggctgaactcaattaaactgcgattacagCTCTGT

ACAGTGAGAATGCTCCGCCCACAGCCATCGCTGATAGGCTGTTGAATGCCTT

CCCGTTCGCTGTGGGAGCAAGGCTTGCTCAACGCGCTGTCAAAGTTATTGCCG

AAATGGACAAgtaagtctccacaaattcttcaatgactctgtgttaataatacacgccgccagAGAGCTCTTG

GATGGCCTACGCAAGGTCGGATTTGGCCTCAATGATGGTATGAATGGTGCTG

GCCCATTGGTCAGTGTTCGCGAAAGAATCGGTGGATTCCACCTTGgtacgtcctcccc tcctcatttcgtttacagagttattgattagacatgcctgcagATGCTGGTGCTAGTCAATTGATCGCAGA

TGGCAAGATCAAGCTCAAATCTGGAAGCTCGATTGAACATATCACTCCGACT

GGCCTCAAGTTCGCGGACGGCTCTGAGCTTCAAGCGGAAGTCATACTTTTTGC

GACTGGgtaggttctcttactttatacccttgctgtttcatcctctgatcgattccactcagACTTGGGACTACGGG

CACTGTGAATAGAGAAATCTTGGGAGAGGAACTCACAGCCCAGCTGAAACCA

TTCTGGGGTAATACCGTGGAGGGCGAGTTGAACGGCGTTTGGGCCGATTCCG

GGATCGATAATCTGTGGAATGCAGTTGgtgagcttgataaatgccgttttcgaaatgttgctaatactga cattcatcactacagGCAACTTTGCTATATGTCGTTTCAACTCGAAACATTTGGCCCTG

CgtgagtttctatcttgtggcatctgctactcattgttcatccctcgttttcaatagAAATCAAGGCCAAGGAAGA

AGGGCTCTTCTCGGGCCGATATGTTGCCACTTTACCCAACTAA

[00141] The present invention also teaches a novel method of increasing the yield of Pleuromutilin production by genetically manipulating a Pleuromutilin- producing bacidiomycete. For example, in one embodiment, Pleuromutilin production was increased by overexpressing at least one gene (ggpps) in Clitopilus, see Example 1. In another embodiment, Pleuromutilin production was increased by overexpressing all of the genes in the Pleuromutilin gene cluster in Clitopilus, see Example 2.

[00142] The following examples are further illustrative of the present invention. These examples are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, and provide further understanding of the invention.

EXAMPLES

[00143] The invention is further illustrated by way of the following examples which are intended to elucidate the invention. These examples are not intended, nor are they to be construed, as limiting the scope of the invention. Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in view of the teachings herein and, therefore, are within the scope of the invention. The examples below are carried out using standard techniques, and such standard techniques are well known and routine to those of skill in the art, except where otherwise described in detail.

Overexpression vector containing ggpps under the control of Agaricus bisporus gpdll promoter

[00144] In one embodiment of the invention, in order to clone the ggpps under the control of A. bisporus gpdll promoter and A. nidulans trpC terminator; the coding regions were amplified by PCR from genomic DNA using the primers GGSl and GGS2 (table 1), designed to introduce a restriction site for BspHl at the start codon, and a BarnHl site after the stop codon. This product was digested with BspHl and BarnHl, and cloned into the vectors pMSC004 or pMCSi004 (described in Heneghan et al, (2008) Molecular Biotechnology 35 283-296) previously digested with Ncol and BarnHl. This cloned the genomic regions coding ggpps downstream of the Agaricus bisporus gpdll promoter, and placed the Aspergillus nidulans TrpC terminator after this insert. Vector MCSi004 also includes the first 64bp exon-intron region of the Phanaerochete chrysosporium gpd gene, as the presence of introns has been shown to increase expression of some genes in basidiomycetes. Due to there being no directly selectable marker within this plasmid, it was introduced into C. passeckerianus by cotransformation along with the hygromycin resistance plasmid pmhph004 (Kilaru et al 2009 Current Genetics DOI 10.1007/s00294-009-0266-6), the latter allowing the selection of transformants which were subsequently screened by PCR for the presence of the ggpps overexpression plasmid.

[00145] Table 1. Primers, (regions in italics show the identity of the two separate regions used for in-yeast recombination-based cloning systems)

CCCTCATGAGAATACCTA To

GGS1

ACGTC amplify

GGGGGATCCCTACTCTGC ggpps

GGS2

GATGTACAAC encodin

For cloning the entire Pleuromutilin gene cluster

Fragment 1 f ACGGATTAGAAGCCGCCGA To

GCGGGTGAC AG AGCTTCG amplify

Fragment 1 r CTGTGGCATGGTTCGTCTA fragmen

Fragment2 f CTCTACACGTGGCGACAG To

amplify

Fragment2 r TTGGCACCGCGAATCCGA

fragmen

Fragment3 f CTTGAGAGCGACAAGGCA To

amplify

Fragment3 r GAGCTCGACATTGGTGAA

fragmen

Fragment4 f GCCACATCTTCGTCATGA To

Fragment4 r CACACATGGGGTGTTGGG amplify

AG fragmen

Fragment5 f CTATCTCGCCTTCATCATC To

Fragment5 r A TGCCA GAA TTCCA TGCA CA amplify

A TC.A GC. AG A 7TG A C A T A GT frapmen

Cloning of a Pleuromutilin gene cluster into yeast - E. coli shuttle vector

[00159] In another embodiment, the instant invention teaches a method of cloning a Pleuromutilin gene cluster of 25 kb which consists of coding regions of nine genes (p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450- l,p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm) under the control of their native regulatory sequences. The whole 25 kb cluster sequence was amplified as 5 different fragments (each 5 kb) from the corresponding lambda clones with respective primers, see Table 1. In order to increase the efficiency of homologous recombination frequency, primers were designed in such a way that no less than last 100 base pairs of each fragment are identical to the first 100 base pairs sequence of next fragment.

Fragments 1 was amplified from λ42, fragment 2 from λ34, fragment 3 from XG4-, and fragments 4 and 5 were amplified from λ5. All of the 5 fragments were recombined into a Xhol and Bamill fragment of plasmid pYES-hph-cbx by yeast recombination resulting in pYES-hph-pleurocluster, see Figure 3.

PEG-mediated transformation of C. passeckerianus

[00160] Recombinant plasmids were transformed into C. passeckerianus protoplasts as described by Kilaru and colleagues in Kilaru, Sreedhar, Collins, Catherine M., Hartley, Amanda J., Bailey, Andy M., Foster, Gary D., (2009) Establishing molecular tools for genetic manipulation of the pleuromutilin-producing fungus Clitopilus passeckerianus, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. (DOL lO.l 128/AEM.01151-09).

Bio-assay to determine the Pleuromutilin production levels

[00161] To determine the Pleuromutilin production levels, C.

passeckerianus transformants and wild-type strains were analysed by bio-assay as described in Hartley et al. (2009) FEMS Microbiology Letters 297 24-30.

Example 1: Overexpression of ggpps results in increased Pleuromutilin production.

[00162] In one embodiment, the invention describes a method to increase the Pleuromutilin production levels. The gene ggpps was overexpressed under the control of A. bisporus gpdll promoter, which is shown to be efficient promoter for different basidiomycete species such as C. cinerea and A. bisporus (Burns, C, Gregory, KE, Kirby, M, Cheung, MK, Riequelme, M, Elliott, TJ, Challen,MP, Bailey, A and Foster, GD. (2005). Efficient GFP expression in the mushrooms Agaricus bisporus and Coprinus cinereus requires introns. Fungal Genetics and Biology 42, 191-199). A previous study in this laboratory showed that an intron at the 5 ' end is essential for successful gfp and ble genes expression in C. passeckerianus (see Kilaru et ah, 2009 DOL lO.l 128/AEM.01151-09), so an additional intron (first intron of P. chrysosporium gpdll gene) was cloned at the 5' end of the gene. Therefore, ggpps was individually cloned under the control of A. bisporus gpdll promoter with and without an intron. C. passeckerianus was individually transformed with these 2 vectors and transformants were selected on hygromycin resistance. The selection resulted in 22 and 32 trans formants with and without the intron, respectively.

[00163] Selected transformants were analysed by HPLC. HPLC analysis of ten different transformants each of p004-GGSgene and p004i-GGSgene revealed that p004-GGSgene - 16 showed approximately 34% increase in Pleuromutilin titre when compared to wild-type C. passeckerianus, see Figure 4. Northern analysis of the cultures obtained from the p004-GGSgene - 16 showed increased levels of ggpps transcripts when compared to wild type C. passeckerianus, see Figure 5, indicating that improved levels of Pleuromutilin titre is indeed due to increased ggpps transcript levels.

Example 2 : Overexpression of Pleuromutilin biosynthesis gene cluster results in increased Pleuromutilin production.

[00164] In another embodiment of the invention, the entire Pleuromutilin gene cluster was cloned into yeast shuttle vector by in vivo recombination, see Figure 2. The resultant plasmid was transformed into C. passeckerianus protoplasts and

transformants were selected on hygromycin-resistance.

[00165] In total, 119 transformants were obtained and all were screened for Pleuromutilin production by bio-assay. Among the 1 19 transformants, 16 showed increased in clearing zones by 20% to 40% (Transformant #s 38, 53 55, 65, 69, 77, 79, 80, 84, 86, 96, 98, 101 , 103, 108 and 109) and 7 transformants showed complete disappearance of clearing zones (Transformant #s 5, 14, 27, 30, 34, 106 and 112), see Table 2 and Figure 6. Therefore, in another embodiment of the invention, these increases in size of clearing zones strongly suggest that over expression of the gene cluster results in increased Pleuromutilin production.

[00166] Table 2. Clearing zone diameters indicating pleuromutilin titre of C. passeckerianus and pYES-hph-pleurocluster transformants

C. passeckerianus 4.0

pPHTl-5 4.0

pYES-hph- 5.2

pleurocluster-38

pYES-hph- 5.5

pleurocluster-65

pYES-hph- 5.5

pleurocluster-69

pYES-hph- 5.3

pleurocluster-77

pYES-hph- 5.8

pleurocluster-80

[00167] All documents cited herein and patent applications to which priority is claimed are incorporated by reference. This invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[00168] The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be merely exemplary; numerous variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined in any appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises

transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses a ggpps gene, wherein the fungus cell produces a Pleuromutilin or is modified to produce a

Pleuromutilin.

2. A method for increasing the yield of a Pleuromutilin, which method comprises

transforming a fungus cell with an expression vector that overexpresses at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p450-l ,p450-2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the expression vector comprises a

nucleotide sequence that has at least 95% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 8 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 8.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the expression vector comprises a ggpps gene having a polynucleotide sequence which encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the expression vector comprises a

polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the ggpps gene consists of the

polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising culturing the transformed

fungus cell in a medium suitable for the expression of ggpps to thereby produce Pleuromutilin wherein overexpression of the ggpps gene is accomplished by increasing the copy number of said ggpps gene or operatively linking said ggpps gene to a promoter.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising isolating the Pleuromutilin.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ggpps gene is isolated from C.

passeckerianus.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein the p450-3, atf, eye, ggpps, p4 ^'50-1 , p4 ^'50- 2, sdr, zbdh, and fbm genes are isolated from C passeckerianus.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fungus is a basidiomycete.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fungus is Clitopilus sp.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fungus is selected from the group consisting of Clitopilus passeckerianus, Clitopilus hobsonii, Clitopilus pinsitus, Clitopilus prunulus, Clitopilus scyphoides, Clitopilus abortivus, Lepista sordida, Rhodoeybe popinalis, Rhodoeybe hirneola, Rhodoeybe truneata, Omphalina mutila, and Psathyrella conopilus.

14. An isolated polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:

(i) an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid having at least 95% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:7 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:7;

15. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

i) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide that has at least 95% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7, over the entire length of SEQ ID NO: 7;

(vi) an isolated polynucleotide of at least 30 nucleotides in length obtainable by screening an appropriate library under stringent hybridization conditions with a probe having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8 or a fragment thereof of at least 30 nucleotides in length; and

(vii) a polynucleotide sequence complementary to said isolated polynucleotide of (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) or (vi).